Ever since it was apparent that Red Hat would become the first billion-dollar Linux company, fans of free and open source software have held the company up as the poster child for Linux’s business success.
That milestone was officially achievedearlier this year, but somehow the good news about Red Hat just keeps on coming.
Case in point: On top of the ever-rosy financial results it continues to report — the most recent of which were announced last month — Red Hat was also recently named by Forbes magazine the fourth most innovative company in both the United States and the world.
Forbes ranked companies using an “Innovation Premium” that measures cash flow, anticipated growth, and current market capitalization. “The idea of transparency and collaboration infuse the entire business,” the magazine said about Red Hat. “Even its mission statement was a group effort.”
Given the ongoing nature of Red Hat’s success, there are surely lessons to be learned from the company’s example. For more insight on that question, Linux.com recently spoke with DeLisa Alexander, the company’s executive vice president and chief people officer, and Jay Lyman, a senior analyst with 451 Research.